Newport

Newport's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, ethnicity and health.

The population reached nearly 150,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Newport increased by 6.4%, from about 137,000 to 146,000.

The addition of just over 8,700 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Newport was home to, on average, 5.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Wales' second-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Newport

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Newport increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This multi-cultural area had a slightly higher average age than Bolton (one of the most statistically similar areas to Newport based on ONS area classifications) (38 years of age) and the second-lowest average age in Wales.

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 4,500 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.

About 13% of people in Newport are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Newport

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Newport fell from 9.6% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 394 more people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 7,635.

In Monmouthshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Newport), 9.9% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, up from 9.0% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Newport saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) households in Newport rented privately, compared with 5.4% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 22% to 20%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Cardiff (from 11% to 22%).

Private renting in Newport increased by 8.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Newport, Monmouthshire and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Newport

The number of people in Newport from the White ethnic groups remained close to 130,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 95% to 90%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across Wales (from 98% to 96%).

The number of people in Newport from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 3,900 in 2001 to just under 8,000 in 2011 (from 2.8% to 5.5%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 1,600 to just under 2,800 (from 1.2% to 1.9%).

Just over 2,500 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 730 in 2001 (1.7%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Newport decreased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Newport

The number of people in Newport that described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 3,500 in 2001 to just under 6,900 in 2011. This represents a change from 2.6% to 4.7% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Wales (from 0.8% to 1.5%).

The number of people in Newport that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 98,000 in 2001 to about 83,000 in 2011 (from 72% to 57%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 23,000 to just over 43,000 (from 17% to 30%).

About 11,000 people (8.1%) did not state their religion, similar to the amount in 2001 (which at the time represented 7.5%)

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Muslim in Newport increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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